Policemen Escape As Gunmen Kill Bank Customer In Delta

An unidentified man was on Monday shot dead by armed robbers in front of a commercial bank after making a withdrawal of an undisclosed amount in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

It was learnt the victim, who had gone to the bank located on Nnembisi Road, near Ibusa junction, was waylaid as he was moving towards his car.

Eyewitnesses said the hoodlums were about five.

They said armed mobile policemen attached to the bank took to their heels during the robbery, as the gunmen shot into the air before shooting the man.

It was learnt that the armed men later escaped with a bag containing the money.

Sources said the incident occurred at about 8.30am and created panic in the state capital as residents and traders around the bank scampered to safety.

The victim was said to have been trailed to the bank by the robbery gang in a blue Volkswagen Golf and had been monitoring the movement of the deceased.

An eyewitness, Emeka, told Punch that the victim was left in a pool of blood.

He said the gunmen left the scene unchallenged by the security operatives attached to the bank.

He added that after the robbers left, sympathisers, including some bank workers, came out of hiding and rushed him to the Federal Medical Centre in Asaba, where he was pronounced dead.

He said, “The gunmen have been moving around before they stuck, but nobody suspected they were robbers. Three of them sat at a shop dressed in black, while two others sat inside a Volkswagen Golf. Immediately the man came out of the banking hall, they went to block him and we heard them arguing until they shot into the air.

“The deceased was carrying the money in a black bag. They struggled with him for some minutes before he was shot. He was later rushed to a hospital after the hoodlums left.”

Delta Police PRO, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, confirmed the incident.